Word June 2000
by garnet eyes
Summary: Using Dictionary .com's June 2000 Word of the Day as basis for freehand thoughts and interactions of the Baron trio. Length and perspective both vary. Not intended to follow a single timeline. Kain, Rosa, and Cecil in various combinations.
1. Disconcert R, CxR,KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 28 Apr 2011  
Summary: 01 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Rosa, Cecil x Rosa/Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _disconcert_, transitive verb;  
1. To disturb the composure of.  
2. To throw into disorder or confusion.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It had perturbed Rosa, just a bit, the first time she had heard the sounds of her husband moaning but couldn't find him anywhere. She had worried that he was hurt, that he needed her aid, but she'd lost the sound while following it and the next time she had seen him, Cecil had been perfectly normal. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened after, so she had left it alone and wondered if she had only been hearing things. The second time inspired confusion, because she surely was not hearing things and that was indeed her husband's voice. But, again, she lost the sound before she could find his location. And, again, the next time she saw him, Cecil was perfectly normal. Perhaps others would grow paranoid at this point, but Rosa knew her husband was faithful to her and would never lie with another woman. It wasn't until the third time that it happened that Rosa was struck by the fact that she hadn't seen their primary guard in a while, either. She found neither of them until some time later, but something held her back from asking.

In this case, apparently, the fourth time was the charm, and she found her best childhood friend in the midst of passionately thrusting into her no longer errant husband with a nearly brutal intensity. She left before either noticed her, but the image was seared into her mind's eye and she could not forget the ecstasy written across her husband's teary-eyed, moaning features. For a few days, she avoided them both while she thought long and hard about her life, and she knew that it would trouble them but she really didn't care right then. At first, Rosa was devastated, for the love of her life had betrayed her with her best friend and guardian. But then she really began to consider the totality of it, and realized certain things. Cecil wasn't looking at other women – he never had and she doubted that he ever would. There was no threat of illegitimate heirs from what he was doing. Further, he was never cruel to her, and he was just as amorous as ever, so he obviously still loved her. And Rosa loved her husband, too. Kain... Kain was doing something that Rosa _couldn't_ do, and it was clearly something that Cecil felt had been missing from intimacy. It now became a choice for the white mage: was this worth destroying her marriage over, or could she learn to adapt?


	2. Physiognomy C,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 28 Apr 2011  
Summary: 02 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Rosa  
Author Notes: _physiognomy_, noun  
1. The art of discovering temperament and other characteristic qualities of the mind from the outward appearance, especially by the features of the face.  
2. The face or facial features, especially when regarded as indicating character.  
3. The general appearance or aspect of a thing.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa hadn't really understood her mother when the woman had told her that the bloodless prince was a born sweetheart, and anyone could tell by his face. What did his face have to do with the fact that he was more gentle than Baron castle's mastiff bitches were with their pups? It had taken until she was a teenager to realize what her mother had meant. Cecil positively shown with kindness, humility, and a gentle heart, so much so that it was _impossible_ to believe that he could truly succeed as a dark knight. He just wasn't right for that role. It was part of the reason that he always had his helmet on and his visor down when he was in uniform; no one took a demonic knight seriously when said knight was clearly more of an angel.


	3. Masticate C,K,R, CxR, imKxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 28 Apr 2011  
Summary: 03 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Cecil x Rosa, implied Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _masticate_, transitive verb;  
1. To grind or crush with or as if with the teeth in preparation for swallowing and digestion; to chew.  
2. To crush or knead into a pulp.  
intransitive verb;  
1. To chew food.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Her boys were absolutely hilarious. Kain had the filthiest mind ever since his voice had lowered, and he spent so much time making double entendres around Cecil that the younger man was looking out for them now. She didn't know what perverse thoughts the dragoon had been detailing to the shorter knight, but Cecil was flushed pink and glancing her way nervously. Judging by the lecherous grin on Kain's face and the way chocolate eyes kept sweeping in her direction from across the room, it may well have had to do with her.

King Edge had sent up some of the crops indigenous to Eblan as a token of good will recently, and in that shipment had been a bunch of long yellow fruits called bananas; Rosa liked the way they tasted, and was currently peeling one to eat. ...She knew _exactly_ what Kain was thinking now, because Kain thought with the wrong head whenever he could get away with it, and he was dead set on corrupting her poor husband. But Rosa could play, too. And she was better at it. So she pretended, for her own amusement, that the banana was what Kain was insinuating, and watched out of the corner of her eye, so as not to tip them off, as the dragoon leered and Cecil blushed bright red. Once she was positive that she had them going, she pushed the banana far enough into her mouth that it was a tad uncomfortable and then bit it in half. The way that the color drained from their faces, only to be replaced by a rather green tint, was completely worth it.


	4. Sempiternal C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 28 Apr 2011  
Summary: 04 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _sempiternal_, adjective;  
1. Of never ending duration; having beginning but no end; everlasting; endless.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil knew that Edge didn't understand why he didn't question Kain, why he let the dragoon see his back so easily, but it was not something that could be simply explained. Growing up, the two of them had been together practically the entire cycle of the day, every day. Although he was adopted, the paladin was still a prince, and still had his own primary guard – Kain. Kain had always had Cecil's back, had always been there for him, and had always aided him however he most needed it. No, Cecil did not always understand the older man's actions, nor did he comprehend the blonde's motivations, but he knew that Kain was always looking out for him.


	5. Harangue C,K,R, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 04 Feb 2011  
Summary: 05 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _harangue_, noun;  
1. A speech addressed to a large public assembly.  
2. A noisy or pompous speech; a rant.  
transitive verb;  
1. To deliver a harangue to; to address by a harangue.  
intransitive verb;  
1. To make a harangue; to declaim.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

As mild as she normally was, Cecil was so taken aback that he was beginning to fear for his safety as his wife continued to pace the room and rant. Kain, that traitor, had beat a hasty retreat _out of the __window_ and _left Cecil alone with her_ while the white mage was practically snarling. The paladin hadn't moved a muscle from his seat, recalling on a subconscious level that predators tended to track prey by motion. He had at least managed to glean from her ravings that there was a nobleman who had utterly offended her, and the paladin debated even giving this man any warning that he was about to face the wrath of all of the hells in condensed form or whether he should just selectively ignore the next complaint given to him. Rosa was not a woman to be scorned, regardless of her general disposition. Supposing Cecil got out of this situation unscathed, he was going to find Kain and punch him in the face, and then he was going to be very, very careful around his wife until she no longer bore an air that was a mixture of a rabid dog and a prowling feline setting up for the kill.


	6. Supernal C,K,R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 28 Apr 2011  
Summary: 06 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _supernal_, adjective;  
1. Being in or coming from the heavens or a higher place or region.  
2. Relating or belonging to things above; celestial; heavenly.  
3. Lofty; of surpassing excellence.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa and Cecil were, in many ways, the sun and the moon in Kain's world. His sky would be bleak without them, and for a dragoon to lose his love of the heavens was unto losing himself. Not a day passed without their light shining on him as they circled around him, comforting in their consistence. Even when he'd been younger, the dragoon had had this feeling that they – even the lowborn prince – were beyond his reach. He still tried, because he would be lost without them and he knew it. Now he felt it to be a precious gift that had been bestowed on him, that both his sun and his moon were cradled firmly in his arms, no longer so painfully untouchable. It hadn't been an easy road, but the struggle made the success all the sweeter.


	7. Rubicund C,K, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 28 Apr 2011  
Summary: 07 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _rubicund_, adjective;  
1. Inclining to redness; ruddy; red.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

With the well of superiority that went with his status as a thirtieth generation noble, people tended to assume that Kain simply didn't blush. Usually, they would be correct. The blonde did not even bat an eyelash if he was being rebuked, he never seemed overtly affected by embarrassment, and he wasn't bashful by nature. Cecil knew better, though, because there was one thing that got Kain flushed, and that wasn't something that many people would know. Kain was, when all was said and done, loyal. And Cecil was one of the only two people that the dragoon was intimate with. The only flush that ever dusted his cheeks was from pleasure, and even then it wasn't darker than a tinge of pink. Cecil, on the other hand, knew that he colored comparatively easily. The younger knight was partially convinced that his pallor was the problem, because even the slightest heat on his cheeks seemed to leave fiery color, and Kain's darker complexion hid that. Fortunately, the only ones who could really make him blush were his wife and his guard, and it did not matter if they knew his weaknesses.


	8. Moribund C, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 29 Apr 2011  
Summary: 08 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _moribund_, adjective;  
1. In a dying state; dying; at the point of death.  
2. Becoming obsolete or inactive.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil had been positively horrified by the "present" that he'd been given – he couldn't even be certain whether it was his wife or his guard who had crafted this embarrassment, and he was too ashamed to do anything beyond hide it as thoroughly as possible so that the servants might never come across it. He'd thought he'd basically done away with it, and had for the most part forgotten about it, and life went on. It had been nearly half a year before Kain had needed to go out on an extended mission, and it was an escort for Rosa to Fabul as part of an envoy, so Cecil was losing both of his beloved at once but had nevertheless wished them well. Still, it was uncomfortable to not have a warm body at his back to equal out the one at his front every night. He knew he missed his beloved, but there was nothing to be done about that and he'd just enjoy them all the more once they were back. But then he'd gone and gotten drunk one night while he was missing Kain and Rosa terribly, and he recalled the "present," and he was in an odd state where he was a bit too drunk to care but not too drunk for arousal. It was about the same size as Kain. The dragoon had been gone by now for over a month with Rosa. Cecil couldn't resist.

After drunkenly fumbling around to retrieve the smoothly polished, rounded-tip metal pole that was clearly meant to mimic his beloved's manhood, the paladin coated it in oil and then haphazardly smeared some against himself, anticipating the pleasure that he knew came from being filled. It wasn't quite right, but it hit a lot of the right spots anyway, and Cecil lied back in the middle of the royal bed and tried his utmost to mimic what Kain did to him. There was no way to achieve the proper force, although he could get the approximate angle if he contorted just so, and the young king gasped and moaned as he pleasured himself while he fantasized that it was his beloved spearing him. As drunk as he was, he didn't have the presence of mind to remove the false manhood from his insides after he'd driven himself to ecstasy, and instead passed out messily satisfied on top of the sheets. Only to wake up the following day with a brutal hangover and a mild pain in his backside. Embarrassed by his own perverse behavior, the paladin had promptly cleaned himself up and secretly secured the false manhood in a more difficult to reach place, and left it there while telling himself that it had been a drunken folly and he would never have done that otherwise. After a few more days, his beloved returned to him, and Cecil took special pleasure in their first night reunited. He didn't need fakes; the real thing was better anyway.


	9. Apothegm C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 29 Apr 2011  
Summary: 09 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _apothegm_, noun;  
1. A short, witty, and instructive saying.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain grinned broadly as he lied on his side, his head propped up on the palm of his hand, and chocolate eyes gazed down at his deeply unconscious companion. It had taken months to convince Cecil that it wasn't wrong – people did it all the time – and he need not be such a prude. After all, wouldn't he prefer to have some practice before he lied with a woman? He'd sounded pretty convincing in his argument, too, even though it had been total bullocks – Kain wasn't about to let Cecil gain the type of experience he'd need through taking him, but he could be pretty persuasive. Yet still the younger knight had been abashed and uncertain, and had backed off like a frightened rabbit when he became overwhelmed. Kain had let him, although it was tiring and wearing at his patience, and yet the dragoon could honestly say that it had been worth it in the end. The bloodless prince was weird in that he really didn't understand intimacy. Surely he had dreams about such things? But Cecil denied it, and, frankly, Kain believed him after he'd ended up having to explain masturbation – and what an embarrassing conversation that had been.

After introducing the younger teen to touching himself, the blonde moved on to various other avenues of interest, and eventually managed to get the bloodless prince to orally pleasure him. Cecil learned quickly when he applied himself, and that certainly took the edge off for the dragoon. He still wanted more, though, because the younger knight had the plumpest, roundest backside and Kain wanted to lay claim to that pale perfection as soon as possible. It still took quite a while to get Cecil to comply, and the dragoon had nearly cried when he had first sunk into the velvet heat of the slender body beneath him. As much as possible, the blonde had strung it out and tried to make it last, because there was always a chance that Cecil wouldn't like it in the end. The bloodless prince, as it turned out, really liked to be speared, and Kain _really_ liked to do the spearing. Once the younger teen adjusted better, the dragoon would work on changing things around. In the meantime, he was going to take it slow still, and revel in every scrap of ground he gained. His mother had always told him that he had to crawl before he could walk, and his father had affirmed that he had to walk before he could fly.


	10. Wastrel C

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 29 Apr 2011  
Summary: 10 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil  
Author Notes: _wastrel_, noun;  
1. A person who wastes, especially one who squanders money; a spendthrift.  
2. An idler; a loafer; a good-for-nothing.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

For all that Cecil loathed to waste anything, since every grain of rice and strip of meat that came to his table was gained from hours of toil and hard work by others, he absolutely could not tolerate poor quality fabrics. He would only wear the finest silks and the wools made from rabbit down – things less expensive tended to be undesirably scratchy and gave him rashes. This was just one of those reasons why Kain always called him a princess, but Cecil really couldn't help the fact that he was sensitive. The coarse wools that the peasants wore, for instance, were so physically repulsive that the young prince had developed a rash just from touching some. So it was reasonable that he would want to stay as far away from such things as possible. Admittedly, he might not have been getting the best deals, but rashes were painful and awkward and Cecil would rather put his money toward something that would benefit him than be frugal and suffer for it.


	11. Malodorous C,K,R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 29 Apr 2011  
Summary: 11 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _malodorous_, adjective;  
1. Having a bad odor.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Although she loved them both to bits, _nothing_ smelled worse, in Rosa's opinion, than Kain and Cecil after they'd spent a full day out sparring and running and working up a horrendous sweat, made about a hundred times worse by the heat of the growing months. Although the both of them were charmingly happy after they'd been out and about, and a little red from exertion even as their stomachs rumbled loudly, she still made them bathe first. She couldn't even stand the thought of others eating when the stench of sweat and goodness knows what else permeated the air like wet chocobo. Of course, she half suspected that they fouled themselves up so much on purpose – or at least that Kain did, because Cecil always looked a bit disappointed that he couldn't just sit down and inhale every bit of food that had been prepared. She wasn't blind to the fact that they took longer than necessary to bathe, or the fact that Cecil always sat very gingerly when they next appeared while Kain made valiant attempts to suppress a grin that the white mage could see from a hundred meters away. It didn't bother her, knowing that they had just been intimate; they had at least bathed at some point, and that was all Rosa had wanted in the first place. Besides, the musky scents of sex were far more attractive than the messy filth that had radiated from them earlier.


	12. Plangent K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 29 Apr 2011  
Summary: 12 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Kain  
Author Notes: _plangent_, adjective;  
1. Beating with a loud or deep sound; as, "the plangent wave."  
2. Expressing sadness; plaintive.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Ever since Kain had been very young, he'd never been good with expressing himself. It was good, in a way, because highborn could not afford to show weaknesses. But sometimes he just felt helplessly embroiled and he could not release the stress. Those times ate at him, because they made him weak even when others couldn't see. He'd not even managed to shed a tear when his parents had died, although he had been devastated at the time; it was still a somewhat sore subject, but it was rare for anybody to mention the Highwind clan beyond some statement about the Last Highwind.

Sometimes, just sometimes, it irked Kain a little bit, how easy girls had it. Even highborn women were allowed to show proper emotion, and it was frowned upon to insult a woman for crying. Of course, women were weaker, so it made sense that they'd be allowed to do such things, but then why did _Cecil_ get the same leniency? The bloodless prince was a man – not quite at his majority yet, but the point was the same – and he was an open book, but no one insulted him, or at least didn't insult him to his face. Which was probably a smart thing, because Cecil was a superior swordsman. Even if he was weird. But it still wasn't fair that Kain knew he would be looked down upon for displaying even the slightest vulnerability, and yet others were smiled upon for showing theirs.

Once in a long while, the dragoon wished he could cry – that he even had the physical ability to, because Kain was pretty sure that he couldn't.


	13. Rara avis C,R, CxR

***Note**: 13 June 2000 edition is rated MA; see profile for other posting sites.

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 06 May 2011  
Summary: 14 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Rosa, Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _rara avis_, noun;  
1. A rare or unique person or thing.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

It had surprised Rosa a lot, on her wedding night, when she finally had Cecil all to herself, how he handled himself in bed. She had been expecting him to hold her to his breast and kiss her passionately and eventually lie her against the sheets and make love to her. The only part of her expectations that had been met was how sweet and gentle he was. Cecil wanted nothing to do with leading the evening, and willingly ceded every bit of control to her, from how much pressure went behind each kiss to how his arms waited for permission to shift even the slightest amount. The white mage hadn't been too certain that she liked this kind of bedside behavior from her husband; it went against everything that she had always believed went into a marriage from watching married couples growing up.

It wasn't long, however, before Rosa decided that she could enjoy the sense of power it gave her. Her husband liked to be dominated in bed, and she found that she liked the leverage she had, seated on his groin and commanding his movements below her. A side benefit, even, was that she could decide for herself when she wanted to have children, and Cecil would follow her lead without question. Yes, surprise or not, Cecil's bedside manner was a very welcome aspect of his personality.


	14. Scapegrace K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 29 Apr 2011  
Summary: 15 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Kain  
Author Notes: _scapegrace_, noun;  
1. A reckless, unprincipled person; one who is wild and reckless; a rascal; a scoundrel.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain never believed that his adventurous nature was reckless; he only had to point to Cid to get his reasoning across, because the mechanic – while a great man – was far more likely to do something dangerous than the blonde youth. Still, everyone assumed that he would one day get himself killed while following his wanderlust. They could believe what they wanted, because he knew what his limits were and just because someone else wouldn't be able to do something didn't mean that _he_ automatically couldn't. There were a lot of things he _could_ do because he was willing to take some risks. A man never got far in life if he refused to take the first step, when it came down to it, and Kain rather preferred to leap. He got further faster that way.


	15. Ruminate C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 29 Apr 2011  
Summary: 16 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _ruminate_, intransitive verb;  
1. To chew the cud; to chew again what has been slightly chewed and swallowed.  
2. To think again and again; to muse; to meditate; to ponder; to reflect.  
transitive verb;  
1. To chew over again.  
2. To meditate or ponder over; to muse on.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil was often very quiet until spoken to, in part because he preferred to gather information before forming any opinion worth voicing, but also because he was often half absent no matter where he was. There was always something in the back of his mind that distracted his attention, and that behavior had begun to manifest when he'd first taken up the dark sword. Kain suspected that the younger knight was trying to come to terms with the stresses that the unholy blade placed on a man, and the dragoon was made glad of his own class not bearing such a burden. He couldn't imagine what thoughts ran through Cecil's head nowadays, but, from the bloodless prince's sometimes-thoughtful-sometimes-grim expression, the dragoon doubted that it was anything pleasant.


	16. Hirsute C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 29 Apr 2011  
Summary: 17 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _hirsute_, adjective;  
1. Covered with hair; set with bristles; shaggy; hairy.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

If there was only one thing that could be said about the pains of long term missions, it would have to be that an unfortunate number of those missions did not allow for frequent bathing and general upkeep. Nothing was quite as irritating as growing a beard that one did not want, in Kain's opinion. Actually, there was only one thing that trumped that: growing a beard that he didn't want while Cecil remained completely whisker free. How the younger knight, as a man, could simply _not_ grow such hair was beyond understanding; he had gone through his maturity, and although he was a touch too androgynous for comfort, he was still masculine enough to count. It was as though Cecil had some kind of uncanny powers of luck, to be free of such a burden.

The paladin, on the other hand, was not so certain that he had good luck in that. Kain had the choice to grow a "respectable beard" while Cecil had no possible way to do so. And after seeing the aged Fusoya, who was related by blood to the young half-blood lunarian, neither knight could fathom why Cecil lacked the ability to grow any whiskers. Cecil wasn't particularly fond of this particular stark difference between other people and himself, but Kain had decided that it would just ruin such a pretty face to have a beard, so Cecil's lack of facial hair was a good thing. That didn't mean that the dragoon couldn't be just a little bit jealous of the shorter knight's good fortune that he had no need to concern himself with a blade to take the whiskers from his face once a day.


	17. Admonition C,K, imKxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 29 Apr 2011  
Summary: 18 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, implied Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _admonition_, noun;  
1. Gentle or friendly reproof.  
2. Counseling against a fault or oversight; friendly caution or warning.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil didn't even have time to blink before he found the heavy, solid press of a man's flaccid sword nudging at the seam of his silk-clad bottom. Startled, the paladin jolted forward but he had just stood from his chair and his hip solidly collided with the desk that he had been writing on. Wincing, Cecil did not appreciate the low chuckle that followed his initial reaction and turned his head back to eye the dragoon behind him, nonplussed. Kain was unarmored, and hadn't even been on duty; where had he even come from?

"You've dulled to your surroundings. What if I had been an enemy? You're under my mercy, now."

The paladin felt a little bad about his initial assumption that Kain was simply being lewd, for it was now clear that his loyal guard worried for him, even if the blonde had bizarre ways of showing it.

"I'll try to be better about it. I suppose that I've just felt secure with you and your men watching over me so diligently."


	18. Abrogate C, KxR, 1sCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 05 May 2011  
Summary: 19 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain x Rosa, one sided Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _abrogate_; transitive verb;  
1. To annul or abolish by an authoritative act.  
2. To put an end to; to do away with.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil had been positive that his best friend and guard was more interested in Rosa than was befitting of their current status. The young knight wasn't as oblivious as he knew everyone thought him to be. Granted, the prince would concede that it had probably taken him a lot longer to pick up on it than it had taken anyone else, but the point was that he still knew that Kain wanted to court Rosa. And that was a bit painful, because Cecil dearly loved his friend, but Rosa was already spoken for. He wasn't entirely certain of how to approach the dragoon, to let him know that his interest was visible, or even if he _should_ approach, because Kain had not acted in the least.

The prince discovered, not exactly on purpose, that he needn't have worried over Rosa's virtue. Kain wouldn't do a thing to her, not without her permission. It hurt more, actually, that the older knight had her permission; Rosa was already spoken for, but it seemed that her decision was not precisely what Cecil had thought. The younger knight wondered for how long that had been true, but he could only blame himself for not knowing. Rosa was always so kind to him, always concerned for him and looking after him, that he supposed that he had misinterpreted her intent. Well, he would congratulate them, because they were his friends and he loved them, even as his heart ached over the ordeal. Then he would make sure that they had time alone with each other, time that he would not bumble into stupidly because he simply hadn't _known_, and he would have to resolve his hurt before he acted out. Even if he did end up the odd man out amongst them, he did not want to lose them entirely.


	19. Importunate C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 06 May 2011  
Summary: 20 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _importunate_, adjective;  
1. Troublesomely urgent; overly persistent in request or demand; unreasonably solicitous.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain didn't actually plead, at least not verbally. But he was frighteningly close to doing so, as far as Cecil could tell. And the younger knight-in-training was a little perturbed by that, because his best friend was a highborn and never really _had_ to ask. He could, technically, take whatever he wanted, as long as it was from a man of lower station. And Cecil, although a prince, was not royal by blood; Kain had every right to request something of him and the younger man would more than likely comply anyway because the blonde was his very best friend. But Kain had to _ask_ something first, or at least make his desires clear, because Cecil could not for the life of himself figure out what the dragoon-in-training wanted.

But Kain was being pushy now, and kind of impatient, and the younger teen still had no idea what it was that the blonde even wanted in the first place. The adopted prince only somewhat regretted it when he found out, because it was horribly embarrassing and it was _wrong_. Men were supposed to be attracted to women, to join with them and create families, and Cecil wasn't a woman, regardless of the flak he received on a daily basis that implied otherwise due to his looks. Kain, who proclaimed a desire to have at least a dozen children of his own, wanted to join with the shorter teen, for whatever reason. Cecil couldn't understand it; there was no benefit to this pursuit.

Yet Kain persisted, and refused to accept a negative answer for such an extended length of time that the young prince slowly started to wear down. Would it really be so bad to allow Kain to see whatever it was that he was so interested in? Just once, just to get it out of his system, so that he would leave off on it and they could finally move passed that peculiar undercurrent in their relationship. Kain's stubborn insistence won out this time; Cecil would do whatever he wanted. Just this once.

Except, as Cecil came to discover as he lied in a sweaty pile of tangled limbs with the blonde half asleep on his chest, once would never be enough.


	20. Kitsch C, KxC,KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 06 May 2011  
Summary: 21 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain x Cecil/Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _kitsch_, noun;  
1. Art characterized by pretentious bad taste.  
adjective;  
1. Relating to, or characterized by, kitsch.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil had never been so mortified in his entire life. Nor had he ever felt so paranoid. Then again, Kain was pretty furious as well. As was Rosa, although she at least needn't have been as embarrassed as the king and guard. Some... fiendish pervert must have taken to peering into the royal bedchamber. The explicit details in those paintings were far too exact for any level of comfort, right down to the thin scar on Cecil's collar from during the struggle for the world. And no one should have felt the urge to know that the royal couple's primary guard regularly speared the king, much less _how_ he did it. The angle in all of those paintings told Cecil that the intruder was at the door to the bedchamber while Kain was a bit _distracted_, and that seemed to infuriate the dragoon more than anything else because there were guards stationed down below that should have prevented any unwanted guests. The blonde had taken a lot of the royal guards to task over this matter, which would hopefully prevent any future occurrence but the royals were going to be wary for a long time anyway.

The paladin was grateful to his wife, as well, for her cross words with the nobility who had purchased these unwholesome pieces. The scandal was made worse by the fact that the painter had been exceedingly accurate to Cecil's androgynous proportions, and now at least half of his court leered at him when they thought he wouldn't notice. And now he had no private life to speak of, for fear that another picture would somehow find its way into another noble's mansion. The perverse painter had yet to be caught, after all.


	21. Monomania K, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 06 May 2011  
Summary: 22 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Kain, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _monomania_, noun;  
1. Pathological obsession with a single subject or idea.  
2. Excessive concentration of interest upon one particular subject or idea.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain was honestly impressed with Cecil, that the paladin had actually managed to work up the gumption to speak in detail with Rosa about this particular subject. Baron's half-blood lunarian king was such a prude that it was pretty amazing that he even consented to have sex at all. And here he was, getting into an in-depth discussion with his wife about the dragoon's _manhood_. Kain had only spent all of a second in embarrassment over the talk neither of them was aware that he was currently within range to overhear. They both only spoke of high praises, after all, leaving the dragoon's pride and ego swollen to bursting and then saying something else to pump him just a little bigger again. It was more than gratifying to know that his abilities between the sheets were not only enough to bring his young king and queen to their peaks, but even more than that his skill was enough that _Cecil_ was willing to gossip about it. The dragoon had trouble keeping his expression neutral for the rest of the day, due to random remembrance of his lovers' words. It was by luck alone that no one had caught him grinning madly and for no apparent reason.


	22. Ribald C,K

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 06 May 2011  
Summary: 23 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain  
Author Notes: _ribald_, adjective;  
1. Characterized by or given to vulgar humor; coarse.  
noun;  
1. A ribald person; a lewd fellow.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

As much as Kain enjoyed a good vulgar joke, mostly because of how Cecil reacted to them, he was very careful not to take it too far. The dragoon had a lifetime of experience to know when he was pushing it, and he was quite adept at getting the younger knight flustered but not worked up enough to be sullen or angry. He had skills, in that respect, because it wasn't always that easy to tell by verbal cues how close the smaller man was to tripping over the lines into embarrassed fury. The younger generation clearly had no such understanding, if they had even paid attention to the fact that their liege was nearby, and Kain could only step back and wait for the mounting horror to reach its peak in the young king at his side. Because the blonde most assuredly would not get into the line of fire for Cecil's coming wrath over the total crassness of the younger knights' comments; if he drew any attention to himself, then he wouldn't be able to say anything crude to the paladin for at least a week lest he wished to be on the receiving end of Cecil's ire, and he'd be missing that flustered blush and stutter far sooner than he'd be allowed to see it again. So those youths were entirely on their own this time. They'd learn faster that way, anyway.


	23. Febrile C,K,R

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 06 May 2011  
Summary: 24 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa  
Author Notes: _febrile_, adjective;  
1. Of or pertaining to fever; indicating fever or derived from it; feverish.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil had felt a little under the weather starting a week ago, but he'd recently become bedridden. His fever was strong, and the castle medics could only just barely keep it down enough that it wouldn't run the risk of killing him. Rosa worried for the bloodless prince, as did Kain although he tried hard not to show it, because Cecil had always been of a more delicate constitution and this might cripple him if the fever didn't break soon. It felt odd to them both that, ill as he was, the little prince still worked up the energy to smile at them and give them a little assurance that he was "fine." The blondes were the ones who were supposed to be comforting Cecil, not the other way around. But they weren't doing a very good job of it, because he fell unconscious a few days after he'd become bedridden and didn't open his eyes again for nearly a full week. Kain had started to fray at that point, distressed over the fact that there was absolutely nothing he could do and no way to aid the sickly younger boy. Rosa gleaned as much information from her mother as she was able, but it seemed that no one was certain whether or not the bloodless prince would come back out of this. The best they could do was pray for him.


	24. Rapacious K, CxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 16 Apr 2011  
Summary: 25 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Kain, Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _rapacious_, adjective;  
1. Given to plunder; seizing by force.  
2. Subsisting on prey.  
3. Grasping; greedy.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain didn't know why everyone seemed to be under the impression that he was incapable of letting things go. He'd stood back and allowed Cecil and Rosa to marry, hadn't he? He'd allowed them to have their happily ever after, without regards to how his own life might crumble into despair. Yes, he had at one point tried to claim as his all that he had wanted, but he'd come to realize over the years that no one would have been happy, had he succeeded back then. He was a better man, now, a stronger man, and he'd returned to Baron freed from his weaknesses and imperfections. The king and queen had welcomed him, had _offered_ him the place he had now, and he had accepted. At no point had he forced the matter, for it was not his place to do so. He was perfectly happy to guard their lives with his, for they were the only ones who held any importance to him any longer.


	25. Extirpate K, imKxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 06 May 2011  
Summary: 26 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Kain, implied Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _extirpate_, transitive verb;  
1. To pull up by the stem or root.  
2. To destroy completely.  
3. To remove by surgery.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain had never agreed with Golbez's desire to kill off the threat that Cecil presented. The younger knight merely needed to be contained, and Kain was perfectly willing to do that. In the end, it would have the exact same effect, for a captive could not aid the enemy that he sided with. The dragoon hoped to capture his little prince himself, and then show the warlock exactly how to tame the threat, to neutralize it, without murder. Golbez might even praise him, because, while Cecil would take a long time to break, he would make an exceptional ally in the long run. That, and Kain preferred to have his little prince at his side, because he only trusted Cecil enough to work directly with him in dangerous situations.


	26. Uxorious R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 03 May 2011  
Summary: 27 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: K+  
Characters/Pairings: Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _uxorious_, adjective;  
1. Excessively fond of or submissive to a wife.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Rosa laughed sometimes, when she watched her husband and their lover. Although Cecil would surely be intensely upset that she had these thoughts, for he didn't like hearing any implication that someone thought that he was anything like a woman, she fully believed that Kain had hit the nail on the head in their youth when he'd started calling Cecil a princess. For all that he recoiled from the thought, the paladin had a more feminine mindset than many of the women Rosa knew. Which was why it was so hilarious to her that Kain catered to that. She wasn't even positive that the dragoon was fully aware of his behaviors, or how his physical response overpowered any waspish words he may or may not have managed – he might as well have been saying "yes dear" for all that it mattered, because he never failed to bend over backward to make Cecil happy. And the dragoon behaved that way _all the time_, no matter how big of a princess the paladin was being at any given moment.


	27. Anodyne C,K, KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 06 May 2011  
Summary: 28 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _anodyne_, adjective;  
1. Serving to relieve pain; soothing.  
2. Not likely to offend; bland; innocuous.  
noun;  
1. A medicine that relieves pain.  
2. Anything that calms, comforts, or soothes disturbed feelings.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Kain was pretty sure this totally unorthodox method of easing the pain in his leg was not something that was taught _anywhere_. Not that he was complaining or anything. After all, he wasn't feeling any pain right then. There wasn't much he could feel at that moment, honestly, beyond a pleasant haze. If the healers hadn't come into the tent just then, having finally gotten through the more critically wounded, Kain knew he would have grabbed the bloodless prince's wrist and pulled him close, armor be damned. Cecil wasn't wearing his helmet, so Kain could kiss him just fine. And he wanted to give proper praise to that divine mouth for drinking him down just moments ago, for distracting him so totally from the pain and relaxing him at the same time. Plus, although his manhood was still wet with Cecil's saliva, it had been safely tucked away before the medics got to him, so no one would know a thing about how he managed to not groan about the "horrid" wound in his leg. He had help, but no one was allowed to know that.


	28. Bootless C,K,R, KxCxR

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 06 May 2011  
Summary: 29 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: T  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Rosa, Kain x Cecil x Rosa  
Author Notes: _bootless_, adjective;  
1. Unavailing; useless; without advantage or benefit.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Although he could not see the point in this exercise, Cecil kept his chin up and reminded himself that this was for his wife. From his seat on the royal bed, Kain said nothing, but he hadn't been speaking much through this entire ordeal anyway. Rosa, sitting next to the dragoon, spun her finger in a circular motion, requesting that the young king turn around, and Cecil complied where he stood before them although he was not particularly happy.

"Might I take this off now?"

It wasn't that he was angry or anything of the sort, but the paladin got a little bit tired of being the doll that his wife liked to dress up in the clothing that she designed if only because she only ever made dresses and skirts and things that were entirely inappropriate for a king to wear. Of course, Kain _somehow_ always knew when Rosa had finished a design and was ready to have the paladin model it, and he was always willing to give his opinion. Which was always, without fail, incredibly perverted.

"...Cecil, have you even really looked down at what you're wearing?"

Blinking, the paladin cocked his head to the side to regard the older knight before turning his gaze down to the thin garb that covered him. He honestly hadn't looked at it that hard, because he just preferred to put on whatever Rosa wanted to see him in sooner so that he could take it off sooner as well. But now the young king rather wished that he _had_ noticed, because the thin fabric was translucent and he might as well have had nothing on for all that was actually hidden. Jolting, the paladin grabbed the fabric over his groin and balled both of his hands into fists with the material firmly within his hold, scowling even as his cheeks heated.

"Oh, why did you have to go and ruin it?"

Shooting a weak glare at his wife, Cecil debated making a break for his wardrobe. Kain shifted at his place beside the young queen and the paladin stifled the urge to try. The dragoon was alert and would take great pleasure in stopping him.

"Many apologies. It is a rather titillating outfit."

Delicate blonde brows furrowed as the white mage continued to look her husband over, this time with a more critical eye.

"I can see where it could be better, though."

Chocolate eyes glanced her way very briefly before returning to a lazy perusal of Cecil's body.

"Oh?"

Rosa made a quick gesture with her hands, nearly scoffing as she did so.

"Does the skirt really need to be so long? Or, it could at least have decent slits up the sides."

Kain rubbed his chin in thought – _as if he needed to think about whether or not he wanted less clothing in his way_ – before he replied to Rosa.

"True. Might I suggest no sleeves next time?"

Always happy for actual input on her dress designs, the white mage nodded before perking up.

"Oh! And a lower neckline!"

Grinning, Kain caught the paladin's eye and Cecil scowled darkly but refused to take the bait.

"Does it need a full back?"

Of course the blonde knight would say that. Possibly the only reason that he refrained from saying anything about forgoing the entire article was because it was Rosa's design and she was very serious about her hobby.

"Hm. Good point. I'll have to rework that, too."

For a moment Cecil was stunned, but he soon began to sputter indignantly.

"Y-you cannot possibly think to go out into public in such a design!"

As embarrassing as this was, Rosa tended to perfect her designs on him and then tailor them to herself, but there was _no way_ that Cecil was going to allow his wife to reside in their court in _this_. The white mage waved her hand dismissively, sounding as though she believed that his statement was ridiculous and she could hardly be bothered to reply.

"Oh, no. This is just for you. Your night tunics get in our way too much, and they aren't particularly pretty, so I decided to improve upon them."

Glaring mutinously at his guard, Cecil swore he would get the man back for corrupting Rosa. There was no other explanation for how she had turned from such a sweet woman into such a horrendous pervert.


	29. Flummox C,K, CxR,KxC

Title: Word of the Day v. FFIV  
Author: Garnet Eyes  
Archived: fanfiction .net, livejournal .com  
Last Updated: 06 May 2011  
Summary: 30 June 2000 edition.  
Rating: M  
Characters/Pairings: Cecil, Kain, Cecil x Rosa/Kain x Cecil  
Author Notes: _flummox_, transitive verb;  
1. To confuse; to perplex.  
Disclaimers: Final Fantasy IV is owned by Square-Enix and I in no way, shape, or form profit off of my writing. This is simply for my own pleasure, and may at any time be removed and/or modified as I see fit.

...

Cecil had been positive that Kain loved Rosa. The man had even said himself that he wished to have her as his own. So why, then, when the party had been weakened from the trek to acquire the eighth crystal, when the dragoon had knocked Cecil witless to foist the final crystal from him, _why in the heavens_ was it Rosa that had been left behind and the young prince, instead, who was held captive by the enemy? Golbez's methods of torture were completely unorthodox and immoral, and Cecil could only be thankful that it was Kain who was carrying them out even as he was completely baffled over the blonde's vehemence that he be the paladin's torturer. It was embarrassing, having his best friend see him so helpless, with his arms tied together from elbows to wrists behind his back and his legs bound separately, folded tightly so that his calves were pressed to his thighs. His clothing had been stripped from him at the start of his confinement, along with his armor and weapons, and yet he was left on an exceedingly plush bed. It made no sense at first, and it still didn't make sense, but it was something that Cecil could be thankful for.

The paladin had not been beaten, not even once, but Kain fondled him with both his hands and his mouth, and thrust into his exposed nether mouth with such regularity that Cecil was perpetually sore and tired. The dragoon kept him from becoming hungry or thirsty, and carried him to the toilets and bathed him properly even though more often than not a bath turned into a passionate bout of love making and Cecil would need to be cleaned again. Asking outright did nothing, arguing did nothing, and the paladin struggled to understand why his friend would behave in such a manner even if he was just following orders. Kain couldn't possibly be gaining from this situation. Cecil didn't love Rosa any less, and she wasn't the one that the dragoon was entering on a regular basis, so what claim was this worth? Aside from obvious physical release, of course. Which, despite not being something Cecil had any desire for, he was beginning to crave for the intense, mind-altering satisfaction that followed.

Regardless of the fact that Kain ignored any command, request, or plea to stop, the dragoon hadn't actually _hurt_ anything but the paladin's pride; the younger knight was more than a little ashamed about how readily he moaned under the taller man's touch, how willingly he succumbed to the invasion of his body even though he didn't really have a choice. As a man, and one who was in love with a woman, he should not have found any enjoyment in how his body was being manipulated. He resented his forced position, just a bit, but Cecil couldn't find it in himself to turn even the slightest hint of ire toward Kain, no matter how it festered in the back of his mind that the displaced prince had long stopped putting up the slightest resistance. It didn't help him at all that what was happening was far too intimate, far too true to making love, too distanced from just base lust and sex. Surely Golbez intended for there to be some kind of pain? But Cecil was practically being pampered, although he wasn't feeling so wonderful after more than a month of being trussed up as he was.

Waking up one day out of the blue back inside of Baron, in the medical hall, did nothing to help his state. Rosa was by his side, but his body was weak and stiff and uncoordinated, and he had no idea what had happened to get him here. He gleaned something about an assault and a giant and a man named Fusoya, and something else about Golbez being controlled and broken mental binds, and now the warlock was not exactly with them but he was fighting on their side. And... and Kain was here, although he'd avoided the room due to a rather angrily patrolling ninja prince. It was nice of Lord Edge to be worried, but Kain wouldn't hurt Cecil, not on purpose. So Cecil fumbled his way upright in bed and gingerly flexed his arms and legs, grateful to be able to move his muscles again regardless of how they trembled, before he sat with his back against the head of the bed and his legs stretched before him. Then he requested Kain, because he still didn't know what was going on with the older blonde, but he knew that a lot of things would make sense if he could just figure one thing out.

Edge was reluctant to leave the two knights alone, but Cecil swore that he would be fine and eventually managed to shoo everyone else away so that he could be alone with the dragoon. Kain was reluctant to speak, as he always was, but that didn't bother the paladin. It was a bit perturbing that the blonde would not look him in the eye, but Cecil supposed that the older knight might be embarrassed about the whole mind control thing. To ease the larger man's mind, Cecil started the conversation with a blunt statement of fact, that there was nothing to feel guilty over so Kain shouldn't be so upset. He hadn't supposed that his guard would look quite so relieved, let alone lean close and press their lips together, plying into the young prince's mouth with his tongue-oh. Oh... Cecil felt incredibly stupid, all of the sudden. But... didn't Kain love Rosa? Why else would he have said those things earlier? Why else would he have taken her captive first? Rosa had never undergone the same treatment, though, and Cecil would have known because she would have confessed to him if she had. Kain hadn't touched her. Kain hadn't kissed her. Kain hadn't caressed her or cradled her to his chest at night or tenderly cleaned her up after a long day.

Deciding what he should do now really should have been more difficult. Cecil didn't think twice about his response – didn't need to think twice about it now that he actually understood. Lying in bed with Kain spooned into his back was a lot more comfortable now that his own arms weren't smashed between them. After he recovered a bit more, he'd take on the task of explaining himself, but for now his limbs ached and the paladin was tired of trying to piece together what was happening. He didn't need to know why he didn't question himself or his response, and he didn't need to work out what he was going to say to anyone else. For now, he just wanted to lie still inside of Kain's hold and absorb Kain's warmth.


End file.
